Guests at the Crown Paradise Club in Mexico comment on food poisoning

20th April 2017

Holidaymakers at the Crown Paradise Club have commented on a gastric illness that they suffered while on holiday at the Mexican resort, saying that they believe they experienced a bout of food poisoning.

Crown Paradise Club All Inclusive Resort in Cancun

UK tour operator Thomas Cook advertises the Crown Paradise Club, which is located in the exceptionally popular Cancun region of Mexico, on an all-inclusive basis. The Mexican hotel features a beachfront location and facilities for the whole family, but from some recent reviews, it appears that there may be a problem with food poisoning.

Reviewers comment on possible food poisoning

With an overall rating of 4 out of 5 on TripAdvisor, the Crown Paradise Club has overall favourable reviews, however, some reviewers have highlighted potential problems with hygiene at the Mexican hotel, with some of those guests commenting on a gastric illness that they say they suffered during their stay.

'tomski31' stayed at the Crown Paradise Club this April, and in his review titled "Terrible food and crowded bar" he says that they "went down to breakfast and [he] saw one of [his] most favourite foods; Chorizo" available. He says that he "tried some by itself and [was] content with it", so he "decided to have a chorizo and cheese omelette", which he believes "led to [him] becoming violently ill". He also says that later on in the holiday he "returned for breakfast only […] to find a worm crawling across [his] plate".

'Richard2604659' wrote a review of his stay at the Crown Paradise Club in March titled "Good and bad but the bad [outweighs] the good", in which he says that he, his "son in law and [his] grandson all had diarrhoea and vomiting", which they believe was caused by "food poisoning". He continues to say that "the buffet food was unimpressive" and "the movie theatre smells like urine".

Can worms give you food poisoning?

As a generalised rule, you shouldn't eat worms. While there are many different species of worm, some can carry harmful bacteria and parasites that in some instances can cause you to suffer the symptoms of a gastric illness. In others, they can lead to more serious health problems, such as instances wherein worm larva spreads to other parts of the body outside of the digestive system.

Because of this, it's generally advisable to refuse fruit, vegetables or any other food on holiday that contains worms or anything still wriggling about in it.

Chorizo, Trichinosis, Eggs and Salmonella

Chorizo can be commonly served cured in some places, but in others it's served in a similar manner to traditional sausages, meaning that there's a possibility that you could contract Trichinosis.

Trichinosis is a type of roundworm, which is a parasite that can infect your bowels causing cysts to form, resulting in gastrointestinal symptoms that can include abdominal pain, nausea and diarrhoea, depending on the stage of the condition that you are suffering from.

Trichinosis can be eradicated through the adequate cooking of pork, meaning that it shouldn't be present in a well cooked or cured piece of chorizo. The same can be true of eggs; however, due to the way that omelettes are cooked, potentially being served slightly underdone in fast paced hotel restaurants, the risk of Salmonella can be increased. Like Trichinosis, Salmonella can induce symptoms of abdominal pain, nausea and diarrhoea, but it can also cause vomiting, fever, chills and other gastric illness symptoms.

The importance of not self-diagnosing food poisoning

If you become ill on holiday you might speculate as to what caused you to become unwell, and if you do believe that a certain meal made you unwell, then it's advisable to take pictures or gather any other evidence that you think will help with a diagnosis. Before you treat yourself, it's advisable to see a doctor or medical professional.

They will be able to carry out the adequate tests, advise you of what caused your condition and provide you with the appropriate treatment. Whether you have yet to receive a diagnosis or not, you might be entitled to claim compensation for food poisoning on a package holiday.

How to claim holiday illness compensation

The Package Travel Regulations 1992 should ensure that your tour operator takes reasonable steps to prevent you from becoming unwell on a package holiday, and if they fail in this duty they could be in breach of their contract with you and you might be able to claim compensation.

Our travel law specialists can provide you with a free no-obligation consultation, during which we can advise you of our 'no win no fee' terms and whether pursuing a holiday compensation claim through a solicitor is the best course of action for you.

Contact us about your holiday illness claim

To find out more about claiming compensation for illness at the Crown Paradise Club in Mexico; speak to Andrew Tarling by calling us on 0808 145 1353 or complete our enquiry form and we will call you back.